


of witches and whiskers

by reishockey



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Animal Transformation, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Halloween, M/M, Metaverse Magic, POV First Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:08:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27285424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reishockey/pseuds/reishockey
Summary: “Oh, don’t worry, I’m not keeping him. I’m just catsitting for a friend. Futaba said she would take care of Morgana in the meantime. It shouldn’t be more than a few days, promise.”Or: A strange spell leaves Akechi in the care of a Phantom Thief.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 2
Kudos: 34
Collections: 21 plus server halloween event





	of witches and whiskers

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Celestialmari](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Celestialmari/gifts).



> This work is part of our 21+ akeshuake Halloween event. 
> 
> I had the pleasure of picking one of [CelestialKory](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelestialKory/pseuds/CelestialKory)'s prompts:
> 
> Akira or Goro gets turned into a cat OR  
> Akira and Goro get stuck in a haunted house
> 
> Enjoy!

“Watch out,” I hear Oracle’s voice in my ear. “There’s something weird about that Rangda. I’m not sure what it is but try not to let it hit you.”

Oh, please. At this point we’ve taken out so many Rangdas in Niijima’s palace, one more can hardly be a challenge. I look at it a bit more closely. This one does look a bit different than the others; it seems to be surrounded by an eerie glow, barely noticeable unless you look for it. I ready Robin Hood to make quick work of it with a Kougaon, but it manages to dodge my attack.

“Crow!” I can hear Joker calling out to me before the Rangda hits me with a spell. Everything goes black.

I wake up in a safe room. I think I am lying on my side on a table. What happened? Surely the Rangda’s spell couldn’t have been bad enough to warrant carrying me back to the safe room, much less putting me on a table. The Phantom Thieves are gathered around me, their faces ranging from confused, to concerned, to… amused?

“What happened?”

I ask, but as the words leave my mouth, I notice something is wrong. Very wrong. When I try to sit up, I find that my hands and feet are gone, replaced by paws, attached to alarmingly furry limbs. My tail twitches. I have a tail. It takes all of my self-control to not start cursing. So I just ask again, my voice harsh this time.

_“What happened?”_

Joker is the first to speak, his face infuriatingly impassive.

“We’re not sure what kind of spell that Rangda hit you with, or why its effect didn’t end after battle. When it hit you, there was a puff of smoke and you were like this.”

My mind is still fuzzy, so I’m not sure what _“like this”_ means, exactly. I know I have paws and fur and a tail. I manage to sit down on my hind legs, supporting my upper body with my front paws. Even sitting upright like this, I still feel tiny. As my tail wraps around my body like it’s the most natural thing in the world, the pieces of the puzzle finally fall into place. I’m a _fucking cat_.

Joker glances over at Oracle, who is tapping away at her laptop. I would think she was trying to figure out how to turn me back, if it weren’t for the fact that she is snickering. I feel my ears flatten back against my head before Joker continues with a grimace.

“Oracle has no idea what kind of status this is or how to cure it. We tried all of our status healing items and spells already, but nothing has helped so far. At this point our best bet is to just call it a day and hope it’ll go away once we leave the Metaverse.”

I hate that he’s right. I’m nothing but a liability right now because there is no way I can fight like this. I feel around in my mind for Robin Hood, or Loki even, but it feels like I’ve been cut off from them. I feel utterly useless and I hate it. I sigh.

“Fair enough. There is still enough time left until the deadline, after all.”

* * *

The spell doesn’t reverse even after we leave the Metaverse. As the real world settles around us, I am still on all fours, still tiny and still furry. What makes this horrid situation even worse is that this pathetic form seems to have a mind of its own. I have spent years masking my emotions, carefully crafted masks to survive in this world and I know exactly how to mold my body to only show what I want to portray. My human body, that is.

It’s a lot more difficult to disguise my unease in this body. My tail keeps twitching, my ears turning in every direction and I can feel the fur on my back stand on end. My distress must be obvious, because most of my so-called teammates avert their eyes, looking uncomfortable. Their pity makes my blood boil and once again my new body betrays me, flattening my ears back against my head in anger.

“Let’s just split up and go home for the night. I’m sure this will wear off by tomorrow.”

I can’t keep the hiss out of my voice. I don’t bother looking back at the others as I turn, making my way back to my apartment. It’s going to be a long walk, but there’s no way I’m taking the subway like this. At least this will give me plenty of time to think about how to salvage the Thieves’ trust in me now that they’ve seen the cracks in the Detective Prince’s façade. I cannot let this get in the way of the plan.

I can hear the Thieves exchange a few words behind me, but I don’t bother listening in. I don’t turn around as I hear light footsteps behind me. I’ve spent enough time both in and out of the Metaverse observing him at this point that I easily recognize them as Kurusu’s. He quickly catches up to me, but I don’t acknowledge him until he speaks.

“I don’t think you should go home alone like this.”

I throw him a glance. I manage to keep the irritation out of my voice, but I can’t stop this fucking tail from twitching.

“While I appreciate your concern, Kurusu-kun, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

I have barely finished the sentence when I feel his hands around me, scooping up my hind legs and squishing me against his chest. I can’t suppress a hiss and try to struggle out of his hold, but he just holds me tighter. He even has the nerve to laugh at me.

“Are you now? Listen, I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to wander around this late on your own. It might be tough for you to defend yourself like this.”

I try to argue, but he’s already walking back to where we exited the Metaverse. Sakura and Morgana are still there, while the rest of the Thieves have already dispersed. Good. The less I have to deal with them, the better.

“You sure about this, Akira?” Sakura asks, as if I can’t hear her.

“He’s part of the team, Futaba. We can’t risk him getting hurt when he’s out alone like this.” Kurusu answers.

I hate this. I hate how they are talking about me as if I weren’t right here, still held tight in Kurusu’s infuriatingly firm grip on me. As if I were a misbehaved brat in need of a babysitter. Before I can stop it, I can feel a growl escape my throat.

“I didn’t ask for your help, Kurusu. Now put me down!”

He sighs, but complies, setting me back on my feet.

“Fine. But I mean it. You’re a part of the team and I would really appreciate it if you came to Leblanc with me. I want to know if the situation changes and because I don’t think you can use a phone like this, the easiest way would be for us to stick together.”

My tail is still twitching, but I can see where he’s coming from. As much as I hate cooperating with his little band of criminals, they are still a vital part of my plan. Going with him would help me keep their trust. Plus, he’s right about the issue of me using a phone without thumbs. I take a deep breath to compose myself, determined to return to my Detective Prince mask.

“You make a good point, Kurusu-kun. It would be best for us to keep in close contact until this is resolved. But please, do not pick me up again.”

I manage to sound calmer, more reasonable now. I will not be carried around Tokyo in the arms of the man I’m going to shoot in less than a month. A perfectly normal request, I think. But Kurusu frowns.

“I’m not sure if you noticed, but your legs are a lot shorter than they used to be. We would be a lot faster if I carried you instead.” He pauses, thinking it over for a second. “You and Mona would probably both fit in my bag though.”

Before I can speak up, Morgana already yowls in protest.

“No way! That bag is stuffy enough with just me in there! And how come I don’t even get a say in who gets to stay in the attic? I live there too, you know!”

Sakura interrupts his tirade by picking him up around the middle, his legs dangling as he tries to scramble out of her hold.

“Calm down Mona! You can just stay with me until this is over.”

As they continue bickering, Kurusu turns to me, putting his open bag down next to me.

“Guess you can have the bag all to yourself then. How about it?”

I give the thing a scrutinizing look. Morgana is right, there is no way we both would have fit in there. I glance over to him and Sakura. While they are still bickering, she is now holding him properly and he has stopped struggling. Seems like it will just be Kurusu and me in the attic tonight. The thought of being carried by Kurusu still makes me feel odd, but I hop into the bag, nonetheless.

* * *

The ride to Leblanc turns out to be more pleasant than expected. After months of carrying a cat everywhere he goes, he seems to have figured out all the best ways to keep his passenger comfortable. I stay inside the bag at first, but it really does get stuffy in there. I pop my head out and rest my front paws on Kurusu’s shoulder. For a moment, I think I can see him glance back at me and smile, but before I can really get a good look at him, his expression is neutral again.

After parting ways with Sakura and Morgana, we step into Leblanc. The café is empty except for Boss, who looks like he’s on his way out. Before I can disappear back into the bag, he spots me and sighs at Kurusu.

“Another one? Seriously kid, you can’t just keep picking up stray cats and bringing them here.”

Without missing a beat, Kurusu is already coming up with a convincing enough lie.

“Oh, don’t worry, I’m not keeping him. I’m just catsitting for a friend. Futaba said she would take care of Morgana in the meantime. It shouldn’t be more than a few days, promise.”

Sakura seems to be reassured by that. His stern expression softens as he extends his hand towards me. I move my head back; I have absolutely no interest in being pet. He gets the hint, letting his hand fall to his side again.

Still, his voice sounds fond when he says: “Not a fan of people, is he?” Kurusu chuckles at that “Can’t blame him. I’m done closing up. Just make sure he doesn’t make a mess of the place.”

* * *

“How long has it been since you’ve been hit? Four hours? You’d think it would have worn off by now.”

I can’t tell if Kurusu is just trying to make conversation or if he genuinely thinks this a productive argument.

“You’d _think_ it would have worn off after the battle, but here we are.”

I try to make it sound like lighthearted banter, like something I’d say at an interview, but I can’t keep the venom out of my voice. Kurusu either doesn’t notice or chooses to ignore it.

“I mean, obviously. But if we put our heads together maybe we can figure out how this weird new Metaverse magic is managing to stick to you for so long.”

I don’t think we can figure any of this out just by talking about it, but as much as I hate it, I have to admit I don’t have a better plan at the moment. I refuse to say that out loud, so I say nothing. The silence lingers for a minute, until Kurusu speaks again.

“I’m sorry. This must be really stressful for you. We don’t have to talk about it if right now you don’t want to.”

His voice is soft and considerate. If I didn’t know any better, I could almost believe he actually cares. But both of us know that we ultimately stand on different sides. The difference is that he doesn’t know just how far apart. He thinks I’m blackmailing him, forcing him to disband his little group of outlaws. I wonder how he would react if he knew what I truly intend to do. He certainly wouldn’t pretend to comfort me. But he doesn’t know, so I play along.

“Thank you. I think I’d just like to get some sleep – it’s been a long day.”

I hop onto the couch and pick one of the corners to curl up in while he gathers his nightclothes.

“Alright. If you need anything, let me know. It gets cold up here at night.”

He leaves down the stairs, presumably to go get changed in the café’s bathroom. By the time he comes back, I pretend to be asleep.

* * *

Kurusu is right, the attic does get increasingly colder. I just can’t seem to get comfortable as the chill seeps into my bones despite my fur. The threadbare upholstery of the couch (which is just an old booth seat, really) does nothing to help insulate my body heat. I find myself constantly shifting around, trying to curl up as much as I can to keep myself warm.

I can see Kurusu move in the dark, sitting upright to look at me. His voice is quiet when he speaks up. “Are you okay? I don’t think I have a spare blanket up here, but maybe I can find something else to help you stay warm.”

I say nothing for a minute. I don’t really want his help, but I don’t want to spend the entire night cold and awake. This dingy attic can hardly be called a living space – it almost makes me feel sorry for Kurusu. I might as well indulge his savior complex.

“I have to admit, it is getting a little cold,” That’s all I have to say for him to get out of bed. He crosses the room to root around in the cardboard box he keeps his clothes in.

“I don’t have much, but I can give you one of my sweaters. I know you can’t exactly wear it,” he says sheepishly, “but it would at least make the couch a bit more comfortable.”

It’s pathetic, but it will have to do.

“That would be great, thank you Kurusu-kun,” I say pleasantly.

He bunches up the sweater, turning it into an impromptu pillow. I move to let him make a little bed in the corner I claimed. Despite the excellent night vision I have right now, it catches me off guard when he reaches out his hand to pet my head. I don’t even have time to react before he catches himself and flinches away.

“Sorry, sorry – force of habit from living with Morgana.”

It takes me a second to compute what just happened. The touch was brief and light, just the slightest stroke along my fur. I… didn’t hate it. Kurusu winces, looking at me like I might bite off his hand for the insolence of touching me without consent. Which is not terribly inaccurate, I suppose.

“No, it’s… I mean… I see.” I sound like an absolute fool. The entire situation is awkward. “Thank you for the sweater.”

Kurusu nods, seemingly just as happy as I am to not talk about it any more than necessary. “Good night, Akechi.”

He retreats back to his sorry excuse for a bed as I approach my new makeshift pillow. I put one paw on it experimentally. It is definitely softer than the bare couch, so I curl up on top of it, nestling into the fabric.

The entire café smells like coffee beans and warm curry spices and the scent seems to have permeated the sweater. On top of that, there’s a hint of cinnamon and something earthy I can’t quite pinpoint. It’s strangely soothing. I realize it must be Kurusu’s scent. I decide not to think about it too much.

The warmth has finally allowed me to get comfortable. I fall asleep more easily than I expected.

* * *

The next morning is a Monday. Since I’m still a cat, I suppose I don’t have to go to school. And since my phone vanished along with my clothes when I was hit with the spell, I also can’t be contacted by Shido. That will be a pain to deal with once I turn back – I’m sure he is already pissed.

Kurusu, however, does have to go to school. He offers to take me along like he usually does with Morgana, but I politely decline. I don’t want to be carried around in that stuffy bag of his more than I have to.

Instead, he leaves the attic window open so I can spend my morning wandering Yongen-Jaya. First, I hope to catch some useful conversations, maybe something that I can present to Shido to soften the inevitable blow of his anger. However, I quickly realize that life in Yongen-Jaya is entirely uneventful, with most of its population seeming to be elderly.

Around noon I give up on finding anything useful, so I return to the attic and actually manage to nap for a while – a welcome change of pace to my usually meager sleep schedule. And since there’s a Phantom Thieves meeting planned after school, it’s probably good for me to be as relaxed as possible to tolerate these fools.

* * *

“You’re really a full-on cat, huh?”, Sakamoto says obtusely as he reaches out to touch my ears.

This is how my afternoon has been going thus far. The Thieves take turns poking and prodding at me despite my protests. I’m not sure how much information they think they can get from this, but I feel thoroughly fed up at this point. I’m sure if Sakura tries to pick me up one more time, I’ll claw her eyes out.

While I hop onto the old couch and sit down next to Takamaki, making sure to stay out of Sakamoto’s reach. I tune into the conversation going on – most of the Thieves have moved onto discussing the spell again. Niijima sighs.

“The only thing we’ve ever seen that was even remotely like this was back in Futaba’s palace.”

Takamaki snorts at that. “Ohhh, I remember! There was that one shadow that turned Ryuji into a rat for a while!”, she exclaims. The Thieves start chattering over each other, with the ones that were around during Sakura’s palace recounting the event for everyone else.

The gist of it seems to be that a particularly strong Mot hit Sakamoto with a spell the Thieves had never seen before, resulting in him turning into a rat and leaving him unable to do anything useful. It sounds fairly similar to my situation, until Kurusu speaks. He has to raise his voice to be heard by everyone over the chatter, but his teammates fall silent immediately.

“ _But_ that effect wore off right after the battle. The fact that Akechi stayed a cat after the battle was over, let alone outside the Metaverse, makes this a lot more serious.”

This puts a damper on the mood. A few moments pass silently. They seem to stretch on, with most of the Thieves deliberately not looking at me, clearly feeling pity for my _serious_ situation. I can feel myself getting more irritated by the second, about to snap, when Okumura’s soft voice finally breaks the silence.

“Then what can we do about this? Maybe we can go back and see if we can find another Shadow like that? They might be able to reverse it.”

As much as I hate the thought of Okumura of all people looking for ways to help me, at least she managed to get the conversation going again.

“I think even if it could reverse the spell, Shadows aren’t exactly easy to reason with. Maybe we just have to keep going. Once we steal Sis’ treasure, the source of the spell will be gone for good.”

Niijima’s idea sounds almost reasonable, if it weren’t for the fact that it will absolutely not fucking work with my plan. As I try to think of a way to shut her down without sounding too suspicious, Kurusu speaks up again.

“I’d rather not have to let it come to that, Makoto. Akechi has been one of our best fighters so far, I want him back on the front lines as soon as possible.” Of course I am, I’ve been doing this for two years, you idiot. “Any other ideas?”

There is a lull in the conversation, everyone seemingly absorbed in their own thoughts, when Takamaki checks her phone and exclaims: “Is it that late already? I almost forgot my agency is hosting a Halloween party tonight. I have to go home and get ready!”

She springs to her feet and starts gathering her things. The rest of the Thieves take this as their cue to start packing up as well, except for Sakamoto, who is stretching lazily in his seat. “Right, I totally forgot it’s Halloween tonight! What’re you dressing up as?”

Before Takamaki has a chance to respond, Sakamoto’s face lights up and he sucks in a breath as if he just made a great discovery. “Hey, it’s Halloween! What if that weird spell that turned Akechi was some kinda Halloween thing? Y’know, witches, cats… It makes sense, doesn’t it?!”

Nobody looks convinced. I’m almost tempted to tell Sakamoto what an idiot he is, but Kurusu seems determined to let him down easy. “Good idea, Ryuji, but I don’t think Shadows know about the holidays in our world. Let’s give ourselves a little time to think things over before we go back to the palace.”

The Thieves know when they’re being dismissed and soon enough, even Sakamoto has left, leaving me alone with Kurusu again. I hop onto the couch, hoping for some quiet time after being handed around by the Thieves.

Kurusu speaks up. “I stopped by the DVD rental shop today.”

I’m not sure what he expects me to say to that. Good for you? I don’t care? I just turn to look at him, waiting for him to continue.

“They didn’t really have all that much stuff left, with it being Halloween. But they recommended this old horror movie. I was thinking we could watch it together?”

I never really had any interest in movies, much less horror movies. But watching a movie means we don’t have to make conversation, so I agree. Kurusu has already inserted the disc and settled on his mattress when I’m about to curl up on the couch, but he stops me.

“The couch isn’t really the best place to see the TV from. Do you want to join me over here for the movie? It’s more comfortable, too.” He seems uncertain in the way he asks, almost shy.

I can feel my ears turn from side to side as I think it over. The air in the attic is already starting to cool down again, making me feel a bit chilly despite the fur. If I had my real body right now, I wouldn’t be caught dead in Kurusu’s bed. Too many implications. But like this, the temptation of warmth and comfort wins out.

“For the movie. Alright. I do believe the view is better from over there.” I don’t really care all that much about the view, but the clarification reassures me. This means nothing. If I have to be a cat for now, I might as well be comfortable. There is no way I would join Kurusu in his bed under any other circumstances.

Still, I am very aware of his proximity as I hop onto the mattress next to him. He seems relaxed, his eyes fixed on the screen where the movie is starting. I sit down on my hind legs, not letting myself get too comfortable. The movie starts out slow and I feel myself zoning out a bit. The mattress, while still worse than my own, feels a lot more comfortable than the old couch.

“Making biscuits, are we?” Kurusu’s amused voice snaps me back to reality. I am confused at first, following his eyes down. I realize my front paws have started kneading the mattress without me noticing.

“I’m not- “, I start to object, but of course, denial is pointless. “These behaviors just happen on their own.” I state, matter-of-factly.

I still hate how this body just does things without my consent, making me that much easier to read. I lower myself down, folding the offending paws under me. Kurusu is grinning like an idiot and I think I can hear him mutter the word loaf under his breath, so I shoot him a glare.

“I was under the impression that you wanted to watch a movie, Kurusu.”

* * *

The movie is bad. The plot is obvious, the effects are cheap, the characters are flat, the monster is clichéd.

I have seen so many things in the Metaverse that were more frightening than this. In the Metaverse, I’m the one they are afraid of. A movie as bad as this could never affect me. Of course, I’m not scared. Even if I was, there is no way I would ever let Kurusu know.

But I can’t stop the twitch of my tail, the way my ears flatten back against my head, the way my pupils dilate, the way my fur stands on end. I hate Kurusu for knowing what a scared cat looks like, for being as observant as he is. I flinch when I feel his hand lightly smooth down the fur on my back.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I can’t keep a growl out of my voice.

Kurusu doesn’t even bat an eye; he just keeps gently stroking my back. “Shhhh, it’s okay. It’s just a movie.”

“I know that!”, I snap. Still, he just keeps going, completely unphased. The gall he has, treating me like I’m a pet. I could claw that calm expression right off his face, but I don’t move. I hate to admit it, but I can feel my body start to relax. His touch is gentle, reassuring.

When he goes to scratch between my ears, I can feel more than hear a low rumble in my chest. It’s so entirely unfamiliar, it takes me a second to place it. I am purring. As much as I hate this body, as much as I am looking forward to putting a bullet into Kurusu’s skull and never having to think about this again, the sensation is soothing. It washes away the tension that built up during the movie, turning the horror flick into mere background noise.

“Why are you doing this?” I manage to ask. Immediately, his eyes leave the screen and snap to mine. His expression is serious. When did he take off his glasses?

“You seemed really on edge. I just wanted to help you relax. I care about you, Akechi.”

There’s a weight behind his words that tells me he means every single one of them. I can feel something inside me stir. I take it, put it in a box and stash it out of sight. I don’t know how to respond, I can’t. If he expects a response, he doesn’t press it. His eyes linger on mine for just a bit longer before he turns his attention back to the screen. He continues petting me and I don’t ask him to stop.

Maybe I can let myself have this, just this once. Maybe he really does care about me, and maybe that’s okay. He settles in more comfortably next to me. I let myself relax in his presence, lean into the warmth radiating off of him just a little bit. Let myself enjoy the soft touches, let my own purrs calm me down even more. It feels like I stopped paying attention to the movie long ago. I let my heavy eyelids fall shut, just for a little bit.

* * *

I can’t remember the last time I woke up feeling this comfortable. I keep my eyes closed for a moment, relishing in the soft warmth that presses against my back, the gentle weight around my waist. The dim light that manages to shine through my eyelids tells me that the sun is up already, but I still take the time to stretch my arms and legs lazily.

My arms and legs.

My arms and legs! My eyes fly open at once and I’m staring at my gloved fingers stretched out in front of me. A wave of relief floods through me. The spell has finally worn off. I’m glad it had the courtesy to magically make my clothes reappear as well, sparing me from the embarrassment of waking up naked in Kurusu’s attic.

The next realization hits me and my eyes dart down to my waist to see Kurusu’s arm wrapped around it, his sleeping form pressed against my back. I instantly clamber out of bed, toppling over and just manage to avoid falling on my face. My sudden movement awoke Kurusu, who’s giving me a confused look, rubbing at his sleepy eyes. I catch myself hissing at him, much to his amusement.

“I see you’re back to normal. Maybe Ryuji was right, and it was tied to Halloween. It’s a shame, I really liked having you here.” He says it with such sincerity, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. It catches me off guard and I feel heat rising in my cheeks.

I push the feeling back beneath the surface until I can feel a familiar mask slip into place.

“Well, thank you for letting me stay with you. You were right, it would have been rather troublesome for me to go home alone in that state. I should get going – I’ve been imposing on your hospitality for far too long, Kurusu-kun.”

I give him a pleasant smile, then swiftly turn to finally leave the dingy attic. He is on his feet a lot quicker than I expected, barely giving me time to react before he grabs my hand, holding me back. I flinch, jerking my hand back as if he burned me.

He doesn’t try to touch me again and his voice is gentle when he speaks. “You’re not imposing. I meant what I said last night. I care about you.”

When I look at him, I notice he’s not wearing his glasses. His grey eyes are fixed on me intently, unobstructed for once. His expression looks so genuine, so vulnerable he might as well be naked. I know he’s trying to tell me what he can’t say with words, but I don’t listen. Can’t listen. Refuse to listen. Because I made my choice, a choice that involves him, deep in the belly of the police station, dead in less than a month. Because he and I cannot coexist in this world.

I make sure my mask is firmly in place before I respond.

“Thank you, Kurusu-kun. But I really do need to go. I have some things I need to take care of because of this absence.”

I don’t look at him again as I descend the stairs and he doesn’t try to stop me again. Thankfully, the café is still dark. I am glad I don’t have to explain myself to Boss. I set out to my apartment on foot, preferring the clear November air over the cramped subway.

I made my choice. I have worked too long and too hard for my plan to let it fail because of some petty criminal living in an attic. Even if I wanted things to be different, the gears have already been set in motion, no way to stop them now. Akira Kurusu has to die. I have to be the one to shoot him.

He really is a fool to care about me. I really am a fool.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to [epinicion](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Epinicion/pseuds/Epinicion) for beta reading! <3


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